Almost 18 :)

My 18th birthday is in one week (3/3)! I am BEYOND excited to be legal!!!!

To celebrate, I'm getting my belly button and sternum (vertical) pierced, and then going to Taco Bell for some delicious vegan tacos with my best friends. My mom is also going to bake me a vegan cake. I'm still trying to pick a flavor, but I'm strongly leaning toward the German Chocolate from Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World (my favorite cookbook in the universe!)

I already know one of my gifts. Its a 2-day vacation to Montréal with my mom to see Nickelback, Breaking Benjamin, Shinedown, and Sick Puppies at the Bell Centre, then clubbing (18 is the drinking age there) and shopping in Montréal. In case you didn't already know, Montréal has a 5 kilometer underground shopping center. I'm looking forward to picking up some of the latest fashions there (vegan, of course). Montréal is known for having lots of pleather in every color and style possible, so I hope to find some good things there. And the restaurants are fantastic there, so good vegan French food is a must!


I plan on taking pics from my birthday celebration(s) so I'll post them when I get the chance. Until then, ta-ta! ♥

Indoor Track is Almost Over :(

On Monday night, I ran in the North Central Connecticut Conference Championship meet for Indoor Track and earned two medals!

My relay team got 4th place in the Sprint Medley Relay (I ran the 400m leg) and my other team finished 3rd in the 4x200m relay. I also got 13th out of 40+ girls in the 55m dash (8.1s F.A.T.)
This Saturday I'm back in New Haven for the Connecticut Class S State Meet, and I'll let you know how that goes (if it goes well). This will be my last Indoor meet ever, unless I do it at RPI. And I'm so excited for this meet, we might be stopping at either Taco Bell or Burger King afterward (my last fast food meal before I go on an insane health binge before Outdoor Track).

Speaking of getting healthy for the outdoor season, I've been working out a lot. In the past two weeks I've been able to get my max bench press at 90 pounds, which I think is pretty decent for a small girl like me. I also have been able to do 230 pounds on the incline leg press without a problem. So far I haven't even started using creatine or protein shakes, and in the next 5-6 weeks of offseason I plan on trying to bulk up. Hopefully I'll have my bench press up to 100 or more by the time Outdoor starts!

Any other vegan weight-lifters out there? Especially vegan female weightlifters? Most people I talk to are surprised that a girl, let alone a vegan, works out and can lift as much as I can (not being conceited, my school has weak and wimpy girls). Anyway, if you're out there, share a story!

Vegan Discoveries

I love it when I find out that ostensibly non-vegan foods are actually vegan! 

Just this week I discovered that Fruit by the Foot and World Classics Trading Co. Majestic Mint chocolate bars are vegan.

You would think that Fruit by the Foot would have gelatin because it is goey, but instead it gets its texture from pear concentrate and locust bean gum. I used to eat them like crazy when I was a kid, so now I am really excited that I can enjoy them again.

It was also really exciting to find a good vegan chocolate bar. My grocery store (Big Y) has a terrible selection of brands that specialize in natural foods. Natural food brands are great for finding vegan options because they generally try to keep the ingredients lists of their foods small, so they won't unnecessary extras like whey. World Classics isn't really a health food brand, but they aren't a General Mills / Nabisco company either.

What I like about this chocolate is that it is only 55% percent cacao. To get a vegan chocolate from a regular supermarket brand, you usually have to go to at least 70% cacao in order for there to be no milk in it (You can find chocolate chips at 65%, but many brands will add milk when it is in bar form). I dislike bitter chocolate because it makes me feel sick (don't know why, but super dark chocolate gives me a headache and a stomachache), so this is a great chocolate that is sweet and light enough yet still vegan. It's smooth and creamy, not grainy like many vegan chocolates. Plus it has crunchy mint pieces in it :) Score!

Enough with my chocogasmic ramblings...
Have you had any recent/groundbreaking vegan discoveries? Please share!


P.S. Wanna know favorite part about finding seemingly non-vegan foods? It's when I eat them in front of my omnivorous friends (and especially friends who are considering going vegan/vegetarian) and they say, "Hey, those are vegan? I guess you really don't just eat lettuce and carrot sticks!" This happens to me with Oreos a lot, people assume the cream is from milk (they're actually made from vegetable fat).

Vegan Staples For The Grocery Challenged

I live in a small town (approx 12,000 people) with a grocery (Big Y) that has a terrible selection of vegan foods, and an even worse selection of healthy vegan food. Unlike nice stores like Shaw's and Stop & Shop that put all the health/alternative foods in a special place, the vegan foods are scattered around the store. I live far away from Shaw's, Stop & Shop, Trader Joe's, Whole Foods, or a real co-op, so I have little choice in where I buy my groceries. Luckily, I went vegan in a hippie Vermont town with a comprehensive co-op market where I learned what foods I liked and what was out there. Had I tried going vegan where I live now, I don't think I would have made it (I was 14 when I went vegan).
So, for those of you who live in an area where vegan foods are hard to come by, here are some staples that your local store *should* carry. If my store carries them, then I bet your store will too.

1. Boca Vegan Burgers - Probably the easiest vegan veggie burger to find out there.
2. Smart Deli (by Light Life) Vegan cold cuts - These come in ham, bologna, turkey, etc. My favorite is ham because it tastes the least fake plus if you fry it in oil it tastes like Canadian bacon!!!
3. Silk Soymilk - Best. Soy. Milk. Ever. Creamy, most realistic taste, and wind-powered. Silk also makes soy yogurt, which is available at most grocery stores (but not mine).
4. Tofutti Ice Cream Tubs- It may be hard to find other Tofutti products, but most stores carry the tubs at least. They come in a variety of flavors, including vanilla, chocolate, and "better" pecan.
5. Bolthouse Farms Beverages - Green Goddess and the fruit/veg blends are packed with nutrients, and the Vanilla Chai is a great protein boost.
6. World Classics Panko Breadcrumbs - Vegan breadcrumbs are hard to come by since most brands include whey. This brand's pank breadcrumbs are vegan and all-natural. 4C also carries a vegan variety.
7. Top Ramen, Oriental Flavor - Okay, so not the healthiest, but these are good for a quick meal (they are high in protein, as well as fat and sodium). Make sure you get the Top Ramen brand, Maruchan uses beef in their Oriental flavor.
8. Vermont Bread Company Whole Wheat Sourdough Bread - Again, many breads contain whey and/or honey, especially healthy whole wheat varieties. This bread is my absolute favorite, its whole wheat AND sourdough! Can it get much better? Ezekial also carries vegan whole wheat breads.
9. Simply Asia Noodle Bowls - These come in a variety of flavors, and taste delicious.
10. Morningstar Farms Hickory BBQ Riblets - Best rib replacement that I have found yet, the sauce is absolutely fantastic!

There Needs to Be More Vegan Guys!

Is it just me or has anyone else noticed that the majority of vegans and vegetarians are female? Maybe some guys are afraid that caring for animals or the environment isn't manly. Well, here are 10 reasons why being vegan is HOT for guys.

1. Girls find it cute when a guy actually cares about something other than COD or football.
2. Knowing that a guy cares about and respects animals makes a girl believe that a guy will care for and respect her, too.
3. Being veg gives you a better chance with vegan and vegetarian girls, and everyone knows that veggie chicks are the cutest (click on female contestants to see more).
4. Subsequently, no cute veggie girl is gonna want to swap spit with you if you taste like a pepperoni pizza.
   
5. A diet high in cholesterol can cause impotence in men. Last time I checked that wasn't very manly.
6. Nor is being pudgy from a high-fat diet. Just saying...
7. Milk has been linked to aggravated acne outbreaks. That's uh, real sexy.(And no, this isn't just PETA bullshitting reasons. My skin got 10000x better after shunning dairy products.)
8. A balanced diet high in fruits and veggies make you less prone to getting sick. Doesn't sound like a big deal in the dating scene, but try making out with a runny nose and you'll see my point.
   
9. Its a turn off for girls when a guy takes himself so seriously that he refuses to be compassionate.
10. Generally, girls think animals are cute. So, by helping animals you get your name associated with "cute." Score for you!

If any guys who are considering going vegetarian/vegan are reading this, please know that a lot of girls find veggie men attractive, even if they aren't vegetarian themselves (think numbers 1, 2, 9, and especially 10!) I myself am back on the market, and although I don't date exclusively vegan, finding out that a guy is vegan or vegetarian is probably the biggest turn on possible!

Wish you were my cat Deuce's in this picture? Being vegan will definitely help you!

P.S. The hottie on the side is Tim McIlrath, the vegan lead singer of one my favorite bands, Rise Against.